Sirona and Shofu conclude a material partnership for CAD/CAM blocks

Sirona, the technology and market leader in the dental industry, and Shofu Inc., the Japanese dental material and equipment manufacturer, have agreed that with immediate effect, the Shofu Block HC made of hybrid-ceramic material will also be produced and marketed for Sirona milling machines. This widens the circle of selected partner companies that produce high-performance materials for milling and grinding CAD/CAM restorations. Sirona's material partners are: Ivoclar Vivadent, VITA Zahnfabrik, Dentsply, 3M ESPE, GC and Merz Dental.

Shofu points out that the Block HC features natural translucency, as well as durability, bending strength, and polishability. The Polyclinic for Dental Prosthetics at Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf confirmed that the material was also highly resistant to discoloration and had excellent surface properties.

Sirona's aim for the partnerships is to make a wide range of high-quality CAD/CAM blocks available to its customers all around the world. The Shofu block is marketed primarily in Japan and is also available around the world from designated dental dealers. "Shofu produces innovative products of proven quality and we are pleased to have found a new material partner that shares our vision of high-quality dentistry. This allows us to offer an even wider range of products to our customers, particularly in Japan," says Dr. Joachim Pfeiffer, Corporate Vice President of CAD/CAM Systems at Sirona.

The material partnership with Sirona is also strategically important for Shofu. The Kyoto-based company is one of the largest dental companies in Japan, where it is the market leader for dental prostheses, abrasives, and hybrid-ceramic CAD/CAM blocks. "We want to position ourselves in international markets as providers for digital dentistry. Sirona is the world leader in CAD/CAM technology. We, therefore, look forward to this partnership that enhances our immediate market access," says Takashi Wakayama, General Manager of Marketing at Shofu.

Japan is one of the most advanced countries in digital dentistry with greatly increasing market penetration of CAD/CAM systems in recent years. According to Shofu, The legal reform of Japanese health insurance system in 2014 has boosted the expansion of CAD/CAM systems.

About Sirona

Sirona is the global market and technology leader in the dental industry and has been a worldwide partner for specialty traders, dental practices, clinics, and dental laboratories for more than 130 years. Sirona develops and produces the complete spectrum of dental equipment products, including CAD/CAM systems for computer-assisted ceramic restorations (CEREC), digital imaging systems for intraoral and panoramic x-rays, as well as volume tomography (3D), treatment centers, instruments and hygiene devices. Visit www.sirona.com for more information about Sirona and its products.